Shio Kombu is seasoned and dried thin strips of kelp. Eat it as an accompaniment to Japanese steamed rice, mix it into rice balls, garnish your noodle dishes with it, scatter it into stir-fries or omelets, or add it to quick pickles and salads.
Shio kombu (shio = salt, kombu = kelp) is a Japanese food product made of kombu simmered with soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. It’s a highly seasoned, savory ingredient with versatile applications in Japanese cooking.
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What is Shio Kombu?
Shio kombu is a food product consisting of kombu kelp seasoned with soy sauce and salt. You can use it as an umami booster, and it is a great way to incorporate seaweed into your diet.
Its history goes back to the Heian period (794–1185) when records show the Japanese simmering kombu in hishio (醤), a salty condiment and predecessor to soy sauce. Later, it was popularized during the Meiji era (1868–1912) when a dried foods store in Osaka began selling seasoned kombu.
Today, it’s a well-known product of Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s main islands.
What Does It Taste Like?
It’s powerfully savory, salty, and sweet, much more than unseasoned kombu. It has the slightest hint of the ocean in flavor and aroma. A small pinch is highly flavorful, so a little goes a long way!
How To Use Shio Kombu
This salt-seasoned kelp is a versatile ingredient with great flavor that you can use in a number of ways:
- serve it as a condiment for Japanese steamed white rice
- garnish ochazuke or noodles with it
- mix it into steamed rice or onigiri
- season steamed vegetables, stir-fries, and tamagoyaki with small pieces of it
- use it as a palate cleanser for sweets like anmitsu or oshiruko. The salty-savory flavor complements the sweetness; hence, many Japanese confectionery shops offer a pinch of shio kombu alongside wagashi.
Where To Buy Shio Kombu
Find packages of shio kombu in the dried food aisle of Japanese and Asian grocery stores. You may also find it on Amazon.
How To Store
Store unopened packages at room temperature and avoid direct sunlight, heat, and moisture. Once opened, tightly seal the package and keep it in the pantry.
Health Benefits of Shio Kombu
As a kombu product, it’s one of the best sources of glutamate. It also contains high levels of iodine, essential in various bodily functions, including metabolism, bone health, and immune response. It is also a great source of dietary fiber and contains several enzymes that can break down complex sugars in the stomach that are usually indigestible.
It’s also rich in minerals and vitamins such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A and C, and copper and zinc trace minerals.
However, please consume it in moderation as this salty kombu is highly seasoned.
Recipes Using Shio Kombu
- mix into Salmon and Shio Kombu Onigiri 鮭と塩昆布のおにぎり
- use as a filling for Japanese rice balls (Onigiri おにぎり)
- add to Japanese cucumber recipes
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